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Medicinal plants : Bioprospecting and pharmacognosy
Touches on a diverse selection of topics related to medicinal plants. Chapters look at the use of medicinal plants in healthcare and disease management, such as to treat inflammation, anti-hyperglycemia, and obesity and as immunity boosters. The authors also address the conservation, maintenance, and sustainable utilization of medicinal plants along with postharvest management issues. Topics include consumption, supply chain, marketing, trade, and future directions of research. Some specific plants discussed include fennel, basil, clove, ginger, lavender, turmeric, ginsing, and asparagus in connection with their various therapeutic properties, including anti-rheumatic, anti-asthmatic, anti-diabetic, carminative, diuretic, fever-reducing, and hypotensive. Medicinal Plants: Bioprospecting and Pharmacognosy will prove informative for scientists and researchers in medicinal plants as well as for faculty and students, pharmaceutical researchers, and others.
Evaluation of the use of medicine plants in cancer treatment
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and ginger (Zingiber officinale) have been widely studied for their potential anticancer effects, primarily due to the bioactive compounds curcumin and gingerol. Both compounds exhibit significant therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, pro-apoptotic, and anti-angiogenic activities, which target key pathways implicated in cancer progression, such as NF-κB, STAT-3, and mTOR. Through these mechanisms, curcumin and gingerol inhibit tumor growth, reduce metastasis, and enhance the efficacy of conventional cancer treatments.
Curcumin : clinical uses, health effects and potential complications
Curcumin is a natural product with polyphenolic structure. It is used in therapeutic remedies alone or in combination with other natural substances. Many researchers are investigating it because of its biological activities such as: anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-protozoal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and has been found to be effective for treatment of Alzheimer, depression, headaches, fibromyalgia, leprosy, fever, menstrual problems, water retention, worms and kidney problems etc. It is an active ingredient in dietary spice, turmeric. It has reactive functional groups: a diketone moiety and two phenolic groups. Despite its unique biological activities, it suffers from some shortcomings which include: gastrointestinal problems, poor bioavailability due to its poor absorption, short half-life, poor solubility in aqueous solutions, rapid systemic elimination and antithrombotic activity which can interfere with blood clotting. The first chapter of this book reviews the different delivery systems used for incorporation of curcumin and its derivatives, release kinetics and up to date in vivo results. Chapter two discusses curcumin nano and microencapsulation and its implications on clinical uses.
